Pete Buttigieg brought a virtual plastic knife to a social media gunfight on Monday.

Sean Duffy, the current U.S. Secretary of Transportation, has publicly criticized his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, for prioritizing environmental and social initiatives over what Duffy considers the core missions of the department, such as infrastructure efficiency and safety. Duffy accused Buttigieg of using the Department as a “slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense.” This critique suggests a significant policy divergence between the two, with Duffy aiming to refocus the department on traditional transportation roles.

Monday a Delta Air Lines regional jet operated by Endeavor Air crashed while landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport, flipping upside down on the runway. The incident occurred amid windy conditions following a snowstorm, injuring at least 18 of the 80 people on board, according to Canadian authorities. No fatalities were reported, and all passengers were evacuated from the aircraft, which had originated from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has launched an investigation into the crash, with assistance from U.S. investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board.

In the aftermath, the current and former heads of the United States Department of Transportation had a heated exchange on the social media platform, X.

Duffy, the former Wisconsin congressman, provided a brief summary of his agency’s initial response:

All day, his predecessor, a once and possibly future candidate for president, continued his online attacks at the Trump Administration. He has been critical of his successor, specifically referencing recent staff reductions within the Department, having earlier tweeted:

To which Duffy replied:


This spat comes at a time when the aviation industry is under intense scrutiny due to the series of recent crashes and close calls which span the current and previous administrations. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating these incidents, with no findings of cause attributed to the firings or policy changes.

However, due in part due to Buttigieg’s rumored future political aspirations, public discourse has shifted towards the leadership changes at the DOT and their potential impact on air safety.